The Monster Who Bled
by Gelasia Kidd
Summary: What is a monster? Is it defined by jagged grins full of bloodthirst? A visual of horror? Or is it something more? Is it a depraved nature, a SOUL destroying hatred? What could rip the humane out, and leave nothing human? Blood drips from human hands, and DETERMINATION isn't enough to wash them clean. A red tinted gaze surveys innocence, but does not recognize it. Do you LOVE?
1. Unsolicited Pandemonium

**_A.N. More A.N. at the bottom. This is also posted on Ao3 under the psuedonym Mz_Mere with my coauthor Bad_Dreems. There will be a TW for each chapter. A good part of the story has illustrations or animations, so I do recommend looking on there._**

**_TW: Cursing, implied violence. _**

* * *

**1:30 AM**

**AS BROADCAST Transcript:**

***Broadcast Starts***

**This message is being broadcasted at the request of the state sheriff's department and the United States Department of Homeland Security.**

**At 1:17 AM EST. State Police Identified a Suspicious person entering the Ebott County Border**

**The descriptions of this person have been deemed credible in matching with the description of 'Suspect Omega' provided by the FBI's Most Wanted list.**

**Suspect Omega is wanted for acts of domestic terrorism.**

**All Residents of Ebott county are advised to shelter in place IMMEDIATELY, Lock all Doors; Windows, and other entrances, and keep children and pets inside.**

**In accomplice with the recent and established descriptions, 'Suspect Omega' is a caucasian male with dark brown hair, an estimated height between 5 ft 10 in - 6 Feet tall with a noticeably slender build.**

**The most defining features of 'Suspect Omega' are; a series of scars traversing the right eye, nose bridge, and left lip to cheek: RED to GRN complete heterochromia: and a silver dental implant replacing a canine tooth.**

**'Suspect Omega' was identified at the border wearing a; Black hoodie with red stripes down the sleeve, blue jeans, and black combat boots: driving a black 1996 Chevy Impala four door.**

**If you see anyone matching this description, DO NOT engage with them, as they are considered, armed, mentally unstable, and extremely dangerous.**

**At this time, law enforcement teams are currently inbound for Ebott county, the state has issued a travel ban for Ebott county and a restriction on all neighboring borders.**

**For your safety and the safety of the arriving officers, DO NOT attempt to leave the area or cross the borders by any means of travel.**

**The shelter in place and these restrictions will remain in effect until further notice, please stay tuned in or tune your radio to 39.2 for further instructions.**

**This message will repeat at 1:45 AM EST.**

***End of Broadcast***

* * *

That noise… that _awful_ noise! If the correct response to an incident was of fear and bewilderment, then the broadcast did it's job in spades. Gratuitous was the word for it, with a town population just shy of 200, it didn't take much to get a message around.

But still, every soul was awake now, drowsy and dreadful: Mission Accomplished…. Some even retained the ringing noise in their ears, lucky them.

Actually, more began to hear the ringing, minutes after the television & radio scare, it only grew louder… and closer

The building scream broke the illusion of tinnitus in the town as it continued to grow in size and numbers, the ear piercing chorus of sirens was soon accompanied by the roar of machines, with the undertone of shouting men, mixing all the sensory overkill into a dull blur.

The lights soon followed as the flags for this cacophonous ensemble; Red and Blue, Blue and Red, with the blinding white searchlights to sit front stage.

Everyone could see the sight before their eyes, standing anxiously behind sealed doors, peeking through ajar blinds, even glancing through windows with hands on cupped over their ears.

Car after car followed by massive trucks only leading a procession of armored vehicles. The dirt roads gave way to the army of assault vehicles and where the sky permitted it: dozens of helicopters blanketed the land with lights.

The identity behind this hysteria was everywhere: Prominently painted on the hulls of their machines or sewn onto patches of the men hustling along side these vehicles, wielding assault rifles and combat shotguns.

_STATE POLICE, S.W.A.T., F.B.I., D.H.S._

The harsh message predicted this, obviously these were the 'good guys' and that fact would remain true despite their rampant charge through the feeble community. But there was still something unfulfilled about the alert, the alleged cause of this disturbance.

Where's the bad guy?

A terrified scream spawned the first seed for a witness testimony. _" Mommy! Look! Look!"_ A small child reflexively pointed at a sliding glass door, the sight behind it drained the color from the parent's face. _" Oh fucking god! Get away from the door!"_

It stared at the petrified family for only a moment, before bolting away from the door, vaulting over the backyard fence like a grime covered deer in the absence of headlights.

* * *

The presence of chaos was mutual for the uniformed forces swelling the land, of the available radio frequencies: only three channels relayed comprehensible english. A network of cool headed dispatchers created this faux caste system.

'Channel 3 for units on foot, Channel 6 for Vehicular units, and Channel 13 reserved for the men up in the sky.' The dispatchers existed on their own omniscient channel, repeating and receiving crucial messages up and down the ladder of command.

This established order would soon see an inevitable frenzy developing from the play by play.

**117.34 (Chnl3):**

" 192 Here, we got a (10-67) here, a woman and adolescent just ran out of their house, she's screaming something, I can't…" The whole channel was treated to an indecipherable barrage of muffled hysteria._ "... Hold on ma'am, please. Just give me a second-"_

**"Unit 192? Status on the (10-67)?"**

A different voice took the liberty of replying, it was almost as shaken as the woman outside. "This is Unit 93, Dispatch, Advise to Air units we got a potential (10-66) here! Repeat (10-66), the resident claims she saw a man in her backyard!"

The dispatcher broke character, her nerves began to show in her voice, while others began to clot around the development in channel 3."

**"What? Unit 93, (10-22)?**

**"Potential (207 In progress) all units advise-" "(10-62A) potential confirmation on suspect."**

**"93, can you give a location? (10-18)."**

The point of no return was inevitable, the message would be relayed to all three hundred radios within seconds.

"Uhm, It says, 'Ebott Valley' on the road sign, the (10-22) is uh, _'Ebott Valley, E-B-O-T-T. (10-9)?_ The backyards."

**"(10-4) 87."**

**132.83 (Chnl 13):**

**"We got a report of a possible (10-70) in the Ebott Valley area, Potential (10-66) Reports claim the potential is behind the houses, the fenced yards. Any air units in proximity to search?"**

The request was handled by a cool voice, it held its ground under the pressure."Copy that Dispatch, Chopper 11 here, performing a scan on the yards, (10-63) dispatch."

**"(10-4) Chopper 11, be advised this is a (10-62A) so It could be a negative, can you declare a-"**

The cool voice was short lived, something anxious interrupted the dispatcher. "Holy shit! There he is! It's _him_! Dispatch, I'm positive on this guy! He's on the right side of the road, behind all the houses hopping the fences! That's _Omega_! Do you copy?!"

The channel was silent, the man on the broadcasting end was not. "I repeat! Suspect Omega is in Ebott Valley! He's heading for the woods by the mountain! (10-18)! Ten - _Fucking_ \- Eighteen!"

**117.34(Chnl3),121.19(Chnl6),&132.83(Chnl 13) *Broadcasting on ALL frequencies***

**"All units, we got a confirmed (10-66) in Ebott Valley, Repeat, the (10-66) ****_IS_**** confirmed! Suspect Omega is on foot traversing through the backyards heading northbound towards… Mount Ebott Wilderness. All adjacent units respond!"**

* * *

There he was, a black and red mass standing in contrast to the shades of green basking in the limelight. A perfect representation of the filthy blemish tainting the face of the earth.

The endured, _blinding_ lights from the sky and the sounds of chaos closing in really meant only one thing, _You're Fucked…_

The number of wooden enclosements ahead approached zero and the tidy and man-made order of a land plot devolved into a sea of trees; thick brush, and total darkness, a respite from the heaven sent beams.

_-You're Fucked…_

It had occurred to him prior to his moment of fame, the pessimistic mantra of a worst case scenario being upstaged by something increasingly bleak. No… he was _Fucked_ when he stepped on the gas at the toll booth, sending the desk-jockey cops scrambling for their radios.

"Total Darkness" became inconsistent as a horde of maglights pursued him with angered voices ringing out in the distance. The searchlights from above desperately attempted to penetrate the generous canopy, occasionally flickering through the facade in a frantic strobe.

\- It had developed into _'Really' Fucked_ when he had to go on foot. A dispute over the Chevy's fuel gauge led the two to part ways in a ditch. His severance from their partnership was taken from the trunk, a black dufflebag and a foul smelling lug wrench.

-But now, as the manhunt was becoming an established pursuit, the bleak feeling progressed the level of spite. He was _Totally Fucked_ now.

Yet, despite the declaration of guaranteed demise and bulk riding on his shoulders, it seemed that he was actually making distance. The roads and searchlights soon left his peripheral vision, the sounds of shouting began to fade into obscurity.

But just as Omega sought to admit an impending victory, he heard a new set of sounds birthed from the shouting voices. They were rapid; easily recognizable, and they were getting closer by the second.

*Barking*

He turned his head in horror, the unseen terrors gained on him covered by the blackness of the forest floor in true nightmarish fashion. The flashlights from behind briefly hit the things, allotting the pursuee blinks of the snarling beasts.

-At this time, he was _Absolutely Fucked_

He looked down at his feet and forced his already straining body into a sixth gear. The combined stress began to breakdown inside of him: Flames erupted from his lungs, scorching his windpipe while streams of blood jettisoned from his arid nostrils. Invisible screwdrivers mercilessly prodded at his sides, stabbing erratically and intensifying with each step.

The massive influx of adrenaline made it easy to overlook and ignore irrelevant matters, the slimy concoction of blood and sweat drenching your face and clothes, the fear of goring yourself on a branch in the dark, your body tearing itself apart from the inside, or even that fact that the ground began a sharp incline a couple hundred yards back.

Really the only thing on his mind was what would happen if he stopped, the dogs were only seconds away and if they caught him… there'd be a full minute or two before the handlers would catch up to remove the rabid things. There wouldn't be much left to deal with by then.

The canopy gave away as the man ascended up the narrowing land, the return of the unforgiving spotlights blinded the man as helicopters reorientated their unforgiving gazes. The sight of a public enemy scaling Mt Ebott repeated itself over national television.

Even without the use of his eyes, the man furiously continued his ascent and eventually employed the use of his hands as the incline quickly became aggressive. To his fortune though, the slope wasn't as onerous on his hands and opposable thumbs than it was for the paws of his pursuing canines. Their rapid progress slowed to unsteady scratches and measly attempts at traction.

The moment of truth, if he could get out of the light, then he was home free! A gray canister was produced from one of the many pockets on the black bag, the man relieved the device of its lever, before rolling it to the end of the flat landscape.

In moments, a curtain of red smoke blanketed the south face of the mountain, the conclusive coverage on 'Suspect Omega' fell right back into a hardscrabble search. Whether you were involved in this all night, or you just came in for a scoop: you were seeing red either way.

The mountain plane was slowly consumed by the massive cloud. Desperate to relocate their top story, news choppers intruded the order of the police whirlybirds for airspace. Neither of them would gain a new angle from this.

All the more convenient for the man making his way behind the smoke. He slinked around the plateau, it eclipsed the light from the other side.

Darkness, sweet _sublime_ darkness, the world behind retreated at the discretion of a confused army, Omega felt his senses taking over in place of stimulation. Everything outside was muffled by his initial efforts to wind down: slow his ailing heart, curb the hyperventilation, wipe away the residue from the many orifices.

In the desperately needed breather, he'd nearly forget the universal force trying to get him, but a set of jaws snapping shut on his forearm reminded him about what wasn't out of play yet.

The surge of pain resonated throughout his already ailing body and only brought the other intense pains into relevance. The attack dog tore through his clothing and skin: slicing muscles and severing capillaries with its razor edged teeth. Blood and saliva spattered like raindrops collectively up to his chest and head, the dog's fur became a canvas for the liquid as well.

Through his violent thrashing exacerbating the mangled appendage, he saw the rest of the pack careening towards him and even further back: flashlights clambering up to his altitude: the cavalry arriving to the scene.

It was surely over now, at the brink of collapse while being barred by seventy pounds of viciousness ripping him apart, he'd await the lagging four legged monstrosities and the two legged uniforms that followed.

_Undoubtedly Fucked._

Unless….

Being unable to run away or act accordingly, it was either fight, or die.

_Do it._

The free arm introduced the bludgeon to the canine's skull multiple times, the fifth one freed the man's arm: sending the dog down to the ground sounded off by an agonized whine.

The discernible voices returned, their outcries easily overshadowed the sound of helicopter rotors.

"Oh god! K9 unit down! We need help!"

"Get an ambulance! (10-91C)!"

They probably continued, but Omega couldn't hear them anymore: the new source of blood loss dove for it's respected pocket and returned with another tool. Forged from malice and used in desperation, it began the percussion for this deathly symphony.

"Shots fired!"

His actions were returned with a superior barrage of bullets from the other side of the smoke, he'd just barely proceeded down the curvature of the smooth stone to break eyesight when a new, sharp pain bore into his thigh.

A raspy yelp was all he could produce, Omega's right leg lost all sense of integrity, sending him into the wall in a desperate bid to stay on his feet, to stay moving.

The ruined arm applied whatever pressure it could muster on the hemorrhaging bullet wound, the undamaged appendage was forced to maintain its failing sister. Hunched over, completely defenseless, bordering incapacitation:

_'Unequivocally Fucked.'_

But of course, as with any iteration for being 'Absolutely Fucked' it'd act as nothing more than spiteful fuel for his desperation to burn up. The thought of proving himself wrong once again inspired a second wind. Omega reared up for a final sprint.

But it wasn't feasible, his adrenaline was already operating over capacity for acute exhaustion and bodily trauma. Still being able to limp in his state of agony was a miracle on its own, consciousness was becoming finite. All he could do was shuffle along the wall with the sounds of hate and vengeance already gaining on him.

Closer and closer, all of his grievances regrouped to catch his final, _hopeless_ push. Searchlights reorientated; the number of armed men on the plateau approached thirty, the sound of _more_ dogs rang under the haze of noise.

The collaboration of air units was even shorter than the last encounter however. Just as snipers took their aim: the target eluded them once again: when an opening in the cold stone invited him in. The secluded maw of 'Mt Ebott, concealed behind a facade of successful ivy leaves.

Omega's life was draining from him, the cool air inside of the cavern was gaseous ice against the warm liquids leaking from his wounds. Coming here was a mistake, the damned room was no bigger than a classroom. The doomed man saw this place as a dead end, fitting for a coward: until he reached the center. There was another way out… but it'd be _out_ forever.

If the opening was the cave's mouth, then this was the throat. The black pit stared at Omega… hungry. Omega returned the stare as the hole drew him in closer. He slouched precariously over the edge… it was an option… and his only option at that… in all of its deep;

Seemingly Endless,

Unbearably Uncertain,

_Comforting…_

_Enticing..._

_Alluring…_

_Desire._

"You're done, motherfucker!"

"You're finished, you son of a fucking bitch!"

No more hesitation, the sound of weapons coming to life from behind rushed what choice he had left, he dove for his end headfirst: showing immediate gratification as the second hail of bullets would strike his limbs five times out of seventy six shots.

This was one final addendum to the agony, obviously redundant, but greatly deserved.

* * *

Then it was all gone, in the epicenter of hell, a sea of lights and sounds drifting alongside pain and fear, all of it was left on the surface, it's moonlight shrinking with distance above.

The pain, fear, and spite; gone. Overcome by the relief... his slowing pulse drummed weakly as a cadence over the rushing wind in his ears, he'd probably slipped into delusional unconsciousness before he hit the ground because what he perceived as an 'impact' when he finally did, it was soft and gentle like landing on a cloud or the spongiest bed of flowers in the world.

Awareness diluted with his vision, stars of all colors began to fill his faltering perception. The yellow stars grouped together into something... they even spoke to him in a voice so sweet, yet almost sarcastic began to echo as Omega drifted off.

"What do we have here? You poor thing, you look like you just had your- hey,… wait a minute... you're not-"

The hallucination gasped suddenly before it was ousted away by a mass of red and orange, the heat was like the first wave from an oven. Everything went black immediately after, but the final sensation Omega could feel, was a presence of absolute welfare and comfort embracing him. Perhaps the consolation of death, it was surprisingly cozy and warm, banishing the remaining feelings of dread and anguish.

_S..o w...a...r….m. . ._

*(...)*

* * *

**117.34(Chnl3), 121.19(Chnl6), & 132.83(Chnl 13)**

"We need medical teams up here _NOW_! There was a (10-71) on the mountain! (10-91C) multiple K9 units are down! I repeat, K9 units _down_! (11-41) Requesting _IMMEDIATE _assistance!"

"Can _someone_ get the frequencies of these goddamned news choppers?! I can't move up here!"  
"Where did he go!? Dispatch, we've lost visual on the suspect! Repeat, he's in some sort of crevice or something- I don't know! But he's _GONE!"_

"Can _anyone_ give an update on Omega?! He just vanished! Hello? Anyone?!"  
"This is a real shitstorm! I don't know where he went! Get the whole mountain or something!"

"How could he disappear, what kind of hot bullshit is this?!_ Someone's_ gotta-"

The radio was saturated with similar messages burdened with anxiety, most of them had the same idea though. 'Suspect Omega had gotten away.'

The confused and angry voices continued to spill from the scanner promptly resting on a white desk, the occupant behind it reached to turn the black box off.

A wooden block was engraved with the name "CTD SA Lunezo Mordegrid" sat next to the radio. The owner of it let out a quivering and prolonged sigh as he sat back in his chair and twiddled his thumbs. He shared the silence with a group of suits facing his desk.

_" FUCK !"_

The man shot out of his chair and pounded his desk with both hands sending various pens to the floor and spilling a mug with stale coffee.

One of the spectators showed similar outrage, "That's not possible! We had him at a dead end, he's gotta turn up behind a rock or lying dead on the ground, there's no way he-"

Mordegrid continued on his rant accompanying each burst of profanity with another assault on the desk. "Son of a_ fucking, BITCH! "_ Mordegrid sat back in his chair and shakily reset his mug on top of the cold liquid before leaning back and placing his hands on his forehead.

He leaned forward again to face the crowd in his office, "What was I thinking? He just shows up out of nowhere, in nowhere, and goes to nowhere, and we got nowhere … he just played us for fucking idiots again… this was obviously staged and I took the bait."

Another agent chimed in: "Sir, this doesn't mean the pursuit is over, the teams just lost visual sight of him, we have multiple air units not to mention entire forces from three states over so-"

"Cut the bullshit Ferkinzie, if you're supposed to tell me that it was impossible to lose him because of what's over there, then how the hell could he vanish in the first place?" Mordegrid edged closer to the man with each word- "Just-like-that hmm?"

The man tried to retaliate, "Sir please, we don't know that he-"

"Exactly! They don't know where he is because he got away just like has has been for nine years! It's a goddamned conspiracy is what it is!"

The special agent motioned to the press-board littered with papers: leads, clues, and incriminating photos.

"This guy's been at the top of the domestic terrorism list since 2006, and the resources we've put to taking him down are almost as costly as the damage he's caused… and we still don't even have his _name_ for Christ's sake. Even yet, every time we get the public in a panic when he turns up only for it to end just like _this_ , the D.H.S wants to cut our fucking funding and just _give up!"_

A quick swipe sent the press-board onto the floor, tacks and papers scattered.

The captain sat down in his chair for a third time caressing his nose bridge with his fingers and let out a long sigh. "You know, If he had a towel on his head, we'd have the whole country behind us, but no… he's not related to Osama or anything like that, just an american born bad guy. 'Domestic Terrorists' aren't _real_ terrorists or anything."

Another long sigh, he seemed more or less apathetic now.

"Try to put the whole story together with the teams, I need to make some calls: get scolded by the department, clear the EAS… you all know the drill by now."

The group of distraught agents vacated the room, one of them bent over to pick up the clippings.

"Just leave it, they're useless now anyways."

The man dropped the clutter and left closing the door behind him leaving Mordegrid alone in the drone of the air conditioner. Mordegrid opened the bottom drawer of his desk and brought a small glass and a bottle of bourbon to the top.

After pouring the poison up to the brim on the glass he brought the scanner back to life and reintroduced the chaotic chatter to his office.

"We've got a 10-53, 10-91c, suspect has evaded police forces, repeat suspect has evaded police forces, requesting an ambulance on site, canine unit down!"

Mordegrid downed the drink and reached for the phone on his desk, "I just get all the shit, not for the guy who actually deserves it- no, he magically vanishes in a cave."

A little quip of sarcasm for the journey ahead.

"But I guess I should've expected it, that's where monsters live anyways...

He's home now."

_**A.N. Yes, this is me posting something. No, this doesn't mean I will be updating anything else. I'm a very ill individual, and my ex gave me some nasty C-PTSD and you can blame that and some .. entitled ..reviewers for why I don't write. I start writing, I get a panic attack, my heart starts having issues, it's a bad thing. **_

_**We are over on Ao3 with more of the story already published. I recommend you go there if you want faster updates; It also has a lot of content ffnet won't allow like graphics and sounds. **_

_**Dreems is a lifesaver. I get to use my world building experience and fandom creativity, and he does the legwork for me. **_

_**This story is considered 'angst with a happy ending' but at the moment it's nothing but angst. There's several hundred thousand words published so far. Will publish more of this here as well. **_


	2. Unmerited Hospitality

_**A.N. Chapter 2 of the fic we have on Ao3 under Mz_Mere and Bad_Dreems. Enter Toriel**_

_**T.W.: Cursing, implied past character death and implied past violence. Vague mentions of drugs and mental instability.**_

_**Ch 2: **_**_Unmerited Hospitality_**

**_Summary:_**

**_ＷＡＫＥ ＵＰ_**

**_Y̶o̶u̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶y̶ ̶D̶E̶T̶E̶R̶M̶I̶N̶E̶D̶_**

**_Light returns to your gaze._**

**_D_**

**_O_**

**_W_**

**_N_**

**_T_**

**_H_**

**_E_**

**_R_**

**_A_**

**_B_**

**_B_**

**_I_**

**_T_**

**_H_**

**_O_**

**_L_**

**_E_**

**_A strange world._**

**_A strange woman._**

**_Strange kindness,_**

**_For stranger injuries._**

**_Everything feels.. Strange._**

**_You already woke up._**

**_So what is this Wonderland?_**

**_And why do you feel so GUILTY_**

* * *

There were voices.

"...The growing stress on modern life and outside pressure can act as a breeding ground for these undesirable tendencies growing onto shoulders until unbearable, leading to an eventual breakdown in otherwise seemingly normal persons. However, our records here are all but eligible: providing such atrocities sustained during-"

The voice was burdened with apprehension.

"- That time? _You did that? _Jesus- how could you? I mean, my god: you proved it wasn't impossible but: how do you even comprehend what you've done… and just, why? How can so many… indescribable- _barbarities _run through you without so much as a single-"

There was fleeting innocence in the voice.

"-Moment to let me help you! You're always telling me to never give up: "Oh yes, you gotta be _determined" _and all that garbage, but here, you're content with just sitting around in your own misery; brooding all day about giving up! You're such a freaking hypocrite! Why don't you ever get up-"

It was saturated with sorrow, the pain was unbearable.

"Get up, c'mon! Please!"

"Don't do this to me, cmon _please!"_

" Stop doing this - and… _just…_

_GET UP!"_

He did just that...

* * *

Jerking up from the emptiness, leaving the echoing nightmare behind. Omega departed from the unconscious world, taking with him; lots of heavy breathing and a throbbing pulse in his ears.

It ceased, Omega retreated his head back to the warm pillow, letting relief slow down his rapid heart.

_It was just another nightmare, you are filled with relief._

An easy smile began to sprout on his face as he closed his eyelids again for more slumber. His mind repeated the mantra again as the bed began to feel more comfy.

"Just a dream… yeah…."

"It was just… a bad dream…"

The lagging train of rational thoughts finally hit him,

" _No _it wasn't!"

He bolted upright again and in an attempt to process the new world around him, Omega inaugurated his first conclusion with audible words. Gruff and worn, with just a hint of discarded exuberance.

"What the fuck?! Where the fuck am I?!"

He sought to leave the bed: quite rapidly too, but the world wasn't quite done spinning around his already heavy head. A sense of complete discombobulation and nausea forced him to sit back down, drowsily putting thoughts into words.

"Bad… idea- _oooah_\- Jesus christ… my head."

Whether he wanted to or not, Omega would have to take this as a moment to get his bearings.

_You tried to find your desperately needed marbles._

"What the hell happened?...

Where am I?"

Another, more thoughtful scan of the room brought back more results: a small bedroom with furnishings intended for a child's presence. That was obvious, suggested by the small bed adorned with plush animals and a toybox placed at its feet.

There was no finding where he was, but Omega felt an improvement in his panic admitting that: wherever he was, it lacked impending demise. It was definite mark up from last night-

Last night!

The recollection wasn't quite there yet, but the feelings that rushed into his mind were all too real. His heart feeling like it was about to explode, his ears aching from the noise, the feeling of hopelessness and dread when he heard that barking and-

_You remembered the teeth searing into your flesh..._

"Oh Fuck, My arm!"

_... the bullet tearing into your leg too._

"My goddamned leg, shit!"

He was panicking again, his hands scrambled around to find the ruined appendages and-

-Nothing.

No cuts or bullet holes: No bandages or signs of blood loss.

Did they ever exist?

They _had _to have been real, their mementos to their once life threatening prime times were real. Patches of scar tissue sketched in the shape of a rabid dog's bite and a small radius of discoloration: nine millimeters, it complimented all of the others ones of varying sizes.

Normally, this would be a reassuring thing: having proof that you actually _did _exist prior to waking up. But it had the opposite effect on Omega…

"I'm supposed to be _dead_! Am I dead? Is this what being _dead _is like?...

Here of all places?"

Then there was dread,

"No... I can't be alive,

I cannot be where I think I am... or _anywhere _for that matter...

I _have _to be dead."

Being potentially _deceased _made him quite talkative.

_You'll ignore the contradiction for now._

His own voice was the only thing he could confirm; still existed as far as he knew.

" But I don't _feel _dead..."

He had to take another long look at his newly present scars: they didn't even _hurt_, nothing did. An inability to feel pain was the sure sign that this wasn't reality.

Not even the slightest bit sore from the prolonged overexertion that may not have happened last night.

Staring at his healed injuries lead him to another method to nullify whatever composure he had left. He didn't have to roll up a sleeve or pull down his pants to check the wounds because he wasn't wearing any. His clothing was reduced to his undershirt and boxers, it only boosted the feeling of vulnerability and surrealism.

The same notions of the poor fortune of surviving the fall contradicted themselves.

There was a blatant lack of restraints and bindings doubling his weight festered to his body: these accommodations were unfeasible when thinking about who would've provided them... the government? The state sheriffs?

And what kind of life threatening injuries heal within...

_You don't even know how long you were out... if you're not out anymore that is, unless you ARE out for good... Very confusing._

He looked to his feet (Stripped of his boots and socks: 9 toes. Normal enough) and slowly lifted himself up onto his legs. Wherever this was, he had to see if he could leave the room, there were too many pieces to put together, they hit his brain like broken glass.

He was able to make for the door, uncharacteristic to a nightmare where you find yourself lacking the strength and coordination to move... like wading through permanently aqueous cement.

But with a point suggesting consciousness came something laying on a porcelain dish just before the door to deny logic.

"It's… pie?"

Indeed it was, a small slice of the good smelling desert rested on the plate, accompanied by a folded letter.

_Feel better soon! _❤❤❤ _-Toriel._

"Toriel?... who the fuck is that?

Do I know any Toriels? I'd have to if this was some kind of limbo...

_My head... it hurts."_

Could've been the name of a nurse at whatever hospital he was staying at, but that was probably as unlikely as the fact that he failed at suicide and survived.

_You consider drugs coming into play, hallucinogenic psychosis is still psychosis. _

The pie (or whatever was actually on the plate) didn't seem appetizing for the self proclaimed patient right now. Instead, he went to prove his theory to ground himself into the lack of reality.

"Okay, if this is some deluded hospital room, this is gonna be locked."

To his dismay, the knob turned all the way.

_Its unlocked... you really don't have a clue._

* * *

The dim lights of the bedroom were overcome by the bright atmosphere of the world outside as the door creaked open.

Omega squinted his eyes as he stepped out into the hallway, the feeling of uneasiness lingered through the warm air. This wasn't a deluded vision of a hospital or anything like it, it was someone's _home_.

It only added to the surreal feeling of a dream gone lucid: The inconsistency from last night, the overbearing friendliness of these accommodations, and really, the most unnerving aspect of this place: the looming feeling of 'déjà vu': It had to have been a memory, because it felt like everything was _supposed _to be there.

He passed through the hallway: Decorated by ornate plants, the stairs on the right led to the basement-

_You still don't like them, your fear of basements as a child grew up with you._

-and facing the stairs was an exit.

He wanted to run out the front door, but as far as the familiar feeling went, he'd still have no idea where to go. It wasn't even an 'outside' as just beyond the door lay soulless walls of purple bricks, a cavernous ceiling and two piles of leaves.

_It may not be real, but it IS quite tidy, whoever Toriel is, they keep a clean place._

Then there was the den to complete the equivocal recollection of this place, an immaculate book shelf shouldering with the mantle: a fire crackling politely.

This place was far too nice to pose as a memory.

"Why do I feel like I've seen this before?"

The audible thought fell on two sets of ears.

"Oh, goodness! You're awake! I guess _I _am too now." An ingenuous giggle rang from behind a large reading chair. The occupant's identity was concealed by the equally sized headrest.

The sound of the feminine voice: it turned Omega's blood into ice.

_You're not alone._

The voice continued with even more exuberance. "For a silly old lady who worries too much, I've got my reasons: you gave me a real scare back there!" A relieved sigh followed after.

Then it stood up: a rose tinted dream, or an immersive delusion: all bets were off now. It was becoming a nightmare. Omega was treated to a _really _extensive look at his new companion. It wore a white bathrobe that matched its 'complexion', but that's the only thing that actually processed, everything else failed, _refused _to register.

Again, it spoke: looking down at the feeble man from its generous stature. "Thank goodness you're okay, I wasn't sure when you'd wake up or even if you'd wake up. You sure were in a rough state when I found you, poor thing."

(...)

_It's rude to stare; you finally tried to say something._

Of the absolute chaos passing for "thoughts" ,Omega returned the inputs with a built in error message in the form of a composure ridden whisper through his twitching face.

"What… the- _fuck?."_

The obscenity seemed to affect _whatever _was staring at Omega, it nervously diverted its attention to the surroundings and eventually itself. Another cheerful, now awkward attempt for an introduction was made.

"Goodness me, where are my manners? Forgive me, my child. My name is Toriel, I watch over these parts, and this is my- _our _home. I hope that's better." A nervous giggle this time preceded another warm smile.

Omega reasserted his disbelief, with more outrage this time:

"What, the _FUCK !?"_

Both of them were dumbstruck, neither of them had any idea what was going on. The white being was all but confused for the reception it was getting. The human before it was starting to look white too.

"What is it? Is something wrong my child?" It approached the bug eyed man in an attempt to console him, but the sight of it approaching him caused the man to retreat like a frightened dog.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no…" His head shook over and over, the end of the hallway approached him from behind, his repetition of denials ended with a yelp as the dead end became relevant.

The fur cloaked beast sported a concerned look as it continued to grow closer, arms outstretched to grab him.

Omega's legs gave out from underneath, he huddled onto the floor, arms hysterically shielding him from the horror approaching. A fear driven frenzy spilled from his quivering lips.

"Oh god, please _NO! _Not again! _Please No! NOO!"_

The towering nightmare stopped with a woe laden gasp, the hurt was visible from its change in tone. "Y-you're afraid… of _me _? Child, please I'm not going to hurt you! I implore you, don't be scared!"

It tried to fix the mistake of intrusiveness, "I would never hurt you, I swear!" But the petrified, _cowering _mess on the ground took no notice to the statements, he only screamed from fright.

"Get _AWAY _from me! Leave me alone!"

The monster backed away at the realization, adding grief and self blame with the distance it made. "Child no!… I-I'm so sorry… Please don't be… I'm n-not, I didn't- mean to…" A painful sigh dissolved into a woeful groan, leaving the both of them to their hysterical business.

The buildup to a recurring nightmare was without its climax, and when nothing further happened to the man after the dreadfully long moment of absolute terror: he realized something wasn't right about this.

"What the hell?... Ok…, what's going on here?"

He could hear the self detriment mixed in with the upset creature's gentle sobs.

"...So pathetic… I can't even do _this _right…"

Nightmares didn't leave you with time to think, they relied on giving you assumptions that you were terrified: but then Omega began to do just that... thinking.

This wasn't his nightmare awaiting him, it wasn't even enough to be a nightmare.

All it was... was gently sobbing into its claws.

_Nightmares don't give you a chance..._

_Nightmares don't have feelings..._

_And Nightmares... don't cry..._

He put this theory to the test, it was the only thing he could think of doing... Omega got to his feet, and approached his fear.

The benign monster continued to berate itself quietly, too immersed in its sadness to notice the human approaching it for a change.

"... Once again… it's my fault … it was my fault to start-"

An unsteady hand gently grasped one of the monster's claws, both of them shuddered from the contact. The damp faced thing looked up from its self loathing.

Nervous as all hell, Omega challenged this "Nightmare", he softened his approach: a contrast to how he was feeling, a deep breath lead to the point of no return.

"It's not your fault-"

Upsetting it wouldn't have worked in his favor, if it could cry, then maybe there was more behind the fangs, horns, and claws.

"-It's.. mine… I'm sorry... I-I... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

The monster returned an expression of genuine surprise, it stood up, gaining two feet over Omega at the very least. Its eyes were were still glassy and wet, like a sad puppy.

Omega felt the apprehension rising with the creature's height again, a hard swallow guided his next meek question. It was as unsteady as his composure.

"You didn't go after me... I didn't think that was going to happen like so many times before... why? What are you going to do to me? Is this all some trick?"

Once again, the creature was taken back by this assumption, it dropped its woes for a defensive outcry. "Oh my stars, _No! _Why would you ever think of such an awful thing?"

He had more confidence knowing that the thing spoke perfect English.

"Because I have no idea what else to be besides confused and just _LOST_ to the point of…. I don't even know! , I have no idea what's going on, or _why _, and then I see _you _coming towards me down a hallway, so forgive me for acting on impulses: but they're all I've got right now. But this… what's - what is all of _this_? What _are _you? What am _I_ anymore? Give me _anything _, please!"

The creature sighed, then nodded slowly. "Don't worry my child, you are confused, but you are also safe here, I promise you name is Toriel, this is my-our home. I am the caretaker for the Ruins and I watch for anyone who may fall down here. You weren't conscious when I found you, so I carried you here and mended your injuries."

Toriel sprouted another grin, it was weaker, deceptive. "Like I said before, you've had me worried sick from the moment I saw you lying in the flowers. I've never seen a human like you fall down here before, so _big_, so _different_, so…"

She shivered. Her eyes seemed to leave the man for a moment, gazing into themselves through a silvery medium on the wall.

"-Hurt."

The explanation only created more questions, Omega was feeling less sure about his senses by the second.

"Wait-wait-wait… you found me after I jumped... and I was all fucked up?"

Omega brandished the new scars to Toriel.

"These… all open and bloody… you found me like that? The bottom of a pit?"

Toriel nodded awkwardly, looking more life-like with a half raised brow. "Yeess? I almost considered you were dead, but then I saw the petals near your face moving. When I realized you were still breathing: I had to act fast, you were bleeding… all over yourself… all over me too, actually."

Another weak giggle, then a bit of humbleness.

"That's actually why I'm dressed like this, er... Well why we're like this? I didn't want it… thee-blood, to dry up and stain our clothes and well me. I restored them and took a bath for myself, they're still drying. I hope you don't mind."

There she was again, smiling nervously at Omega. Her answers only worsened his unrest.

_The thought that Toriel undressed you fills you with EMBARRASSMENT._

He had almost ceased the hyperventilation, but with dithering carbon dioxide: the panic was returning to his voice with a series of hastened pants.

"Wait- wait- please… you- I - did this- and I was- I'm…"

_( Oh my god)_

He forced a deep breath, and let it out hard.

"-Is this real?! Are _YOU REAL?!"_

Toriel suppressed a snicker like a cough, looking sly at the panicking human. "What? My child, of course I'm real, I'm as real as you. What kind of a silly question is that?"

The human blankly nodded, "So I'm told… I think I gotta find out what that means… oh boy."

Omega examined one of his hands and without any indication or warning to the maternal like creature: he abruplty chomped down on his thumb, silver fang tearing through the skin.

_You regret doing that instantly._

It hurt like hell.

He winced, yelling internally from the pain: some of it slipped out.

"Gnhgh! Son of a- _bitch!"_

Toriel added to the outburst, " _What _are you doing?!"

Quickly procured faintness groaned in his voice."I had to make sure- this wasn't a dream- you _can't _get hurt in your dreams… god am I wrong."

Omega arrested his heart from exploding out of his frantically rising chest, the 'real' world seemed much heavier than the 'fake' world. So much that he couldn't hold his balance anymore, Toriel would take the burden of keeping him off the floor.

"My goodness! Are you alright?"

Omega looked up drowsily, still slouched against the large creature's bosom: Drunk with realization. "I don-neven know naymore ... how long'v-Vie been here? Will that make sense at least?"

"I think about twelve hours or so... do you feel ill? Here, let me feel you." She rested a claw on Omega's forehead: cold and clammy, stressful perspiration.

You feel something strange, Nice… but strange.

Omega shivered briefly, quickly separating himself from Toriel, "I'm fine! I'm fine- I think... I don't know what to think actually..."

Toriel sighed sadly. "My child… if only you would trust me… let me see it."

_The fact that she keeps calling you a 'child' is starting to bug you._

Omega held the closed fist to his mouth, a skeptical face protested Toriel's request,

"I'm _sorry _but this isn't normal for me, I'm not a-"

"Your thumb, _let me see it ." _The stern command in her tone actually bore fruits, Omega reluctantly relinquished the damaged digit to Toriel. Blood trickled from the jagged, self inflicted puncture.

"- what are you going to do, kiss it or something? I keep telling you I'm fi-"

What Omega witnessed next dealt the final blow to his logic: it was _green_. Toriel closed her eyes, clasping the injured finger with her white claws. Both of them began to glow. The independent streak of blood rescinded its path, returning to the hole before it closed up completely.

"There, all better." She returned Omega's hand for him to gawk at.

A flabbergasted whisper.

"Holy…

Fucking…

Shit…"

He took another look at last night's 'confirmed' injuries, an ironic state of shock considering Toriel just prevented it.

"Did you… do _this_, to these?... like that?"

"That was easy to fix, your arm and leg were a little more exhausting for me actually. When I finally stopped your bleeding, I was exhausted-"

Modesty blushed on her face.

"-But yes, I did the same to heal you."

"How?

How can you do this?"

Toriel genuinely smiled this time, shaking her head smugly.

"Dear child, so many questions. I wish I could put your troubles to rest with the answers you crave, but our world sometimes cannot be answered, only embraced. I think an open mind can suit you far better than an explanation."

Omega scrunched with skepticality. "Is that your way of telling me, 'It's Magic? or something?"

Toriel nodded and giggled. "Well.. in a way, yes! Healing magic to be specific."

Omega's facial expression fell. There was no further conversation for a prolonged moment, only a defeated human looking around his surroundings and nodding out of spite for his crazy world.

"Uh-huh… uh-uhhh…"

The mirror on the wall returned a perfect vision of his current life. The man within glazed over at Omega. His new scars complimented the old ones strewn all over his appendages and face. Charcoal brown hair dominated his head, unkempt and shaggy on the top while grown up stubbles ran down his pale cheeks, pooling under his neck.

The reflection sighed scornfully at Omega, then a spiteful but calm brooding voice came out of it.

"So let me get this straight…:

_This, _all of this… is _very _real,

I am not dead, nor close to it, but quite, so _very _alive…

I try to kill myself... it took my whole world going to absolute shit to get there,

but I'm actually able to pull it off. And I jump down a into a pit…

hoping I can splatter my brains all over a rock at the bottom…

_Only _to be prevented so by a-"

The fur covered companion in the mirror fed the information as he relayed it.

"**\- Eight foot tall**

**Anthropomorphic,**

**Sentient,**

**English speaking,**

**Magical,**

**Goat Lady,**

**Who lives under the very mountain I jumped down."**

Then he turned to Toriel, the scarred side of his mouth half conformed into an aggravated grin, complete with involuntary eye twitching.

"Is that right, that's what I'm getting?"

The sheer insensitivity was enough to humble the wrong person in this conversation, Toriel could've reddened further out of insult and lack of gratitude, but the concern for this rude human overrode that.

"Wait, you were trying to _kill _yourself?"

Omega paid no attention to her, he just laughed out of pure disbelief and denial. A wheezing laugh, broken into sets as his head lightly collided with the mirror in rudiments.

"That's juuuust about right there!-

-Ayep!-

-Of course!-

-I'm not _allowed _to die!-

-because shit like _this _happens!-

-Because FUCK ME, that's why!"

Again, "You were trying to kill yourself?!"

The groundskeeper's genuine concern was an affront to the man lost in his own grievances, he snapped at her out of frustration.

" _Yes! _I was! I didn't lunge headfirst down a goddamned mountain's orifice into the void expecting to brush it off!"

Toriel could raise her voice too, "But my child, _why? _There's never a reason in the whole world to take a life away, especially your own!"

" _Child?! _I am _not _a freaking child! I'm forty-six years old! Look at me! You obviously have _no_ idea who you're talking to, if you knew then you wouldn't have saved me! In fact, I think I remember being shot at even after I jumped, because they wanted to be _sure _I'd fucking die! Nobody in their right mind would second a doubt to that!"

The anger cooled into a depression quite suddenly.

"I just wanted all of this shit to stop... and so did they, you would've too if you knew me."

Omega's self apologetic rant could've continued forever, the putrid byproduct leaking out of a shot mind….

….instead, a set of fur covered arms discontinued the troubles, they embraced him tightly. The contact caused him to shiver violently, it only led the soft hold to squeeze him tighter.

"That's enough… you obviously don't know _me _enough, all those who fall here are my children: no matter how big, how old or how they look. And I care very deeply for all of my children, especially _you. "_

_You feel a little less restless… but still grossly uncomfortable_

It was so... _calming_, but Omega still tried to escape the warm hold physically.

It was like being restrained by a behemoth teddy bear: he wasn't going to get anywhere... so he'd have to use his words.

"No! What're you_\- doing?! - _you don't understand, I don't deserve this! You don't know what I am! I _don't-"_

He was quieted, ceasing the noise so Toriel could whisper in that maternal tone to soothe aching souls.

"Shhhhhh, shhhh…. it's okay, my child. You've had enough already, there's no need for more hurt. I'll keep you right here until you can feel safe. We can sit here forever if we need to."

There was no fighting it, Omega would be gradually lulled by Toriel's coddling nature, previous premonitions about her had to assuage eventually.

_You feel the world being squeezed off of your shoulders… you feel… better?_

It felt like forever, Omega accepted his surroundings long before he'd confirm them: he didn't want the feeling to go away just yet... he'd just been asleep for half of a day, but he was starting to feel drowsy.

Eventually he had to speak before Toriel would find him as vigorous as he was before in the flowers, except snoring this time.

"Okay… I'm good. I'm calm."

"Are you sure, my child? Any more grief?"

Omega exhaled a fragment of tranquility, "No no, I think that's gone now."

Toriel finally released the man from her embrace, back to a genuine smile too.

"Well good, why don't we head into the den and sit down for a spell? Now that you're feeling better: maybe you can share a bit about yourself. I've been puzzling over you since I laid my eyes on you."

* * *

It felt good to sit down, not lying down unconscious or perpetually running away, but just sitting down.

"So... What do you want to know about me? I've probably given you a bunch to question- like the story behind this?-"

His right arm pointed to the respective ear, a large portion of it was missing, like a wild animal had just gnawed it clean off.

Toriel shook her head politely "Actually I wanted to-"

"-These? I've been stared at for em if you want to be funny-"

Omega's red and green irises were blamed with an accusative "I'm watching you" gesture.

"No, that's not what I-"

"No? Ohh, you want to know why I drew all over myself? These things huh? Well someone else did those-"

Omega held both of his arms flush against the dining table, a snake of bullets coiled beside a serial code on the bite scarred limb**. (03[-AR-7:BR-26]-19)**

The tattoos were almost as abundant as the scars they glazed over. Black and gray images of similar malice slinked out from the short sleeves, proceeding to rest on the flip side of his hands.

"- Hell, I don't even remember some of these."

Toriel rolled her eyes, perturbed, " _Noo, _if you could let me finish my-"

He didn't, "Oh right, my gross fingers, guess I shouldn't be showing these off, trauma induced Clinodactyly is what I like to call them."

Out of all nine and a half of his fingers, none of them were straight, but Toriel didn't seem to mind them as much as their owner's interruptions.

"Child _Please! _This is just what I'm concerned about! I do not care for something as insignificant as how you _look _, I don't see you for that."

_Funny, that's how you judged Toriel… it's humorous, not guilty._

Omega humbly shrank into the chair, "But… what is it then? I _know _I'm different, I _know _I look like a freak. Look at me, I got all sorts of stuff off about me, take your pick."

Toriel had migrated from the opposite end of the table to be within shoulder grasping distance, it sought for maintained eye contact: she noticed before how her guest was having difficulty holding it.

"Child… you are different, that's what makes you unique, what makes all of my children special to me. But when I first saw you, amidst the flowers, it wasn't your blood nor your hands, arms, feet or _anything _like that-(The injuries did frighten her a trifle) It was your face… and no not the color of your eyes or anything like that… but the expression on it."

She was able to gaze through Omega's eyes, seeking what gave them the ability to see, Toriel shuddered sadly.

"All I could see was misery… such cold misery- and burden, I saw it in your eyes before you were awake… I saw it in your eyes when you cowered away from me… And when I held you… I could _feel _it, it was so _strong _… I have never witnessed such a powerful well of _grief _inside of _anyone _let alone my children before.-"

_That peculiar expression on her face… it fills you with heartache._

"-you even told me how you wanted to kill yourself. I know it's there… and so I wanted to- I just _need _to ask you- **What has the world above done to you?"**

Omega felt himself pausing, out of the unexpectedness of the question, out of the futility of one _single _answer: he stalled.

"Oh…"

One of his crooked hands felt the gentle grasp of a claw, the puppy dog eyes too…

It pushed another response

"... that…"

_That look in her eyes, it fills you with GUILT… you feel your sins becoming increasingly buoyant._

Under normal circumstances, this'd be the definitive moment where the man would spin a grand tapestry, a story of the cruel nature of the world. Leaving one unfortunate soul to receive empathy. He hadn't gotten away on just sheer force…

But he was speaking to a sympathetic matriarch esque goat who'd already put him as the victim: there wasn't any room for imagination.

_The guilt has clouded your mind, you feel incapable of LYING._

So he didn't…

"Well… I… uhm…"

He reset his rambling with an unsteady sigh: now nervous and gloomy, he presented his case.

"Alright… you won't like it: I know I don't, but If you're real, then I guess I gotta be real with you, here goes:

I… am in trouble: a _lot _of trouble. So much trouble that… _others_: you know, up there: would like very much to: More than _anything _in the world to get me. That's why I'm here: somebody recognized my face and all it's deformities… they showed up within _minutes _… I- I just couldn't shake the heat last night. It was too much, the lights… the cops… the dogs-"

He smiled ironically, shaking his head in spite, it looked painful, he started to sound painful too…

"- it's really hard to like yourself when the world hates you y'know? It took severe hemorrhaging and exhaustion for me to come to my senses and give everyone, *Myself too* what they want. I climbed up a mountain trying to get away… and when I found a crevice leading to nowhere, I actually thought that I'd gotten there."

He managed to hold the straight facade, Toriel had cupped her other claw over her mouth out of shock: Omega assumed that it'd happen, he smirked woefully.

"Heh, I know… It's not what the world did to _me_, but what _I _did to the world. You really don't want to know… I wish that I didn't know, if you can believe that. Almost as much as I wish I could just get away from people, just so they wouldn't lose any sleep over me anymore."

The smirk died, both of them shared pained expressions.

" Like I said, it's not your fault… that you wasted your time and feelings on me… but I'm just **a bad guy**: and I can't even do that right. If you could feel that: what's inside of me? … I must be guiltier than I thought… real bad guys don't have guilt… they hide it. But I guess I'm _different_, I'm a dysfunctional bad guy.

What happened last night was a mistake…

This is a mistake…

I'm… a mistake."

The man buried his face into his culpable hands.

"I understand if you'll hate me for this, and I'll be more than happy to leave: it'd be for the best anyways… I don't want them to relate you to me. I'll only bring you more trouble than I'm already worth. I'm… Sorry, Toriel."

Omega stood up, motioning towards the front door,

"Is where you found me through here? Maybe If I wait by the hole, they'll take me and won't even bother going any further, I won't mention you.. Well even if I did, they wouldn't believe me, but you get the crux."

Time for an objection,

"Hold it right _there! "_

Omega didn't have to turn back to face her, she took the liberty of blocking his path: claws resting assertively on her hips.

"The only thing I hate right now, is how you keep putting words in my mouth! You are _not _a mistake, you are _not _a bad guy, and you are _not _going anywhere! Not if _I_ can help it, child."

"But Tor-"

"Shush! It's my turn now. If I hear one more peep of doom and gloom out of you, I _will _hug you again. Got it mister?"

Omega was forced to stifle a laugh out of the sheer absurdity of it.

_Being scolded like this makes you feel like a kid again… boy you're really uncomfortable now_.

She continued with supporting sternness and sass.

"Now, if anybody is coming after you, they'll have to see to _me _first. I won't have _anything _nor _anyone _harming _my _children. Hmph!"

She just crossed her arms, you know that you're not gonna win this argument. But you try anyways.

"But… why? I don't understand: why are you doing this? I've never seen you before in my life, and I _know _that I'd be able remember something like this till the day I die, easily. You've never seen me before… and even now I just flat out admitted that I'm a wanted criminal. Why are you being so nice to me? I don't deserve _any _of this."

He _was _warned: but that cuddly " _Huggly_" feeling was still surprising nevertheless.

"That's why, my child…I have never seen the world above, but I know so much about it, from every child given upon me. How it can do such mean things to such beautiful children, bruising their once endless hopes…And while I know that I cannot change the world, to prevent it from doing this… I know that I can take them away from the hurt, nurture their hopes with kindness and love."

She gave Omega some slack from herself, just to rest a claw on his clammy cheek, staring into his juvenile like eyes.

"And you… are no exception. No matter how big you are, or what you may have done. You've come to me with hurt inside of you, and I want to help."

_See? Either you're gonna run out of things to say, or this lady is going to lull you to sleep. She wins either way._

"Alright Toriel… alright. You got me. I'll stop with my loathsome. You're already helped with that."

She was more hesitant to let the man go this time.

"You sure? I won't let you off easy this time if you're just saying that to make me happy."

Omega had to snort a fragment of a snicker, sounding amused would help his case too.

"Noo no, you _really _got me this time, you got all of the sad I can throw atcha, honestly."

The skeptical nature of Toriel's answer to that meant she didn't buy it.

" Mmm hmm- Is that why you're still shivering like that?"

It really wasn't,

"Uh no, actually… I'm going to say that that's because I just realized something really awkward that's getting worse the longer you keep me this close to you.

Toriel had more concern for something genuine. "What is it my child? What's wrong?"

Omega wasn't lying about the growing awkwardness it started to make him laugh out of habit.

"Well.. um… oh god…So you've got me right here, _pretty _close to ya, it's fine and all but… when I take a look at you and me I realize that well…

I'm in nothing but my briefs and this undershirt…

You're in a bathrobe…

Both of us are like… only one step above being naked.

And we're both right against each other?"

It was now awkward _silence_, Omega would've been more concerned with the social normalities of a goat monster over the potential wrongness of this if he couldn't see Toriel turning quite very red.

" _Oh Goodness Heavens!"_

* * *

(...)

"My god, you even fixed the holes? You're probably already tired of this but, you _really _didn't have to do that, Toriel. I really don't know what to say."

When the monster urgently left the man, returning fully clothed, _with _clothes, Omega would almost fail to recognize his own stuff. They weren't as bloody, muddy, or ratty as he remembered.

_They can't be *yours*, they don't smell like desperation… fresh spring essence._

The red gradually faded off of Toriel's face, seeing the guy putting on his pants.

"Yes, I really don't care for anything untidy in my home, I don't know how you-"

A skeptical look coming her way made her change course.

"_\- anyone, _anyone can: it's… a habit of mine."

The human would give yet another confused frown rather than gratitude, hiding his deformed hands in his now complete pockets

He sighed awkwardly.

" I really don't want to sound bad, it's like the _last _thing I'd want to do for you, but… is this all you found on me? Again, you don't know how glad I am that I don't have to walk around without pants, but this isn't some delusion of mine, and I know I had stuff with me, they were weighing me down last night while I was… y'know… running?"

_That face… she knows exactly what you're talking about… it's bothering her too._

Toriel stuttered trying to hold an oblivious expression, "Right… it was your, uh, your- your… um.-"

"A hooded sweatshirt… black and it had a red stripe going down a sleeve, I had it over this shirt, yes?"

Again, more stuttering: breaking the flow of speech into awkward cuts of words, "Um yes! I was just getting…. To- that. My habits and all?

So how I can't stand anything…. Uhmm

_Dirty?-"_

Omega just followed with it. "Uh-huhhh?"

The garment must've made her really uncomfortable, she was all over the place.

"- Well… I was able to clean your boots and jeans fine, but your hoodie was a little too-"

A skittish squeak behind a counterfeit grin-

"-Dirty? I had to throw it away."

It was the first excuse for Omega to act accordingly to Toriel, no matter how petty it could've been.

The disappointment was there and then some. "Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry, there was just so much blood, not to mention how ripped up it was! I wouldn't be able to save it!"

A couple of thing about that upset Omega, but he only sounded off about the most unusual aspect.

"No, it's fine then… I don't want any sorry's from you: I'm the last person who deserves a sorry then, especially from you, OK? I am a bit bugged about this, but you know what, it's fine…. Well that may or may not be true actually depending on if you... -"

Omega tentatively leaned while his train of thought came into closure: something had a spot in his vision for a while and it came into relevance.

_You see exactly what you may be quite possibly talking about… recognizable black bag, previously hiding behind Toriel's chair._

Abruptly

"- have _that_. Is that mine?"

Now, Toriel even gasped taking a look behind her at the thing.

"Errr… yes?"

Omega impulsively went for his things, but Toriel barreled for the chair: almost knocking the man to the floor.

"NO!"

That wasn't suspicious at all, not enough to give both of them doubts about each other. Not enough to give Omega a squint in his standstill.

"The hell was that? No what? I'm pretty damn sure that that's mine…"

Still an untrusting criminal, the large zipper plenty duffel bag was right in front of the chair where Toriel's voice originated from. A perfect spot to snoop inside while the owner was in the other room, doubting his sanity.

Omega was direct, accusative with just the unsure tone to escape being completely rude.

"You weren't- you didn't look in there… did you?"

_That's a dumb question, if she did: she would've been afraid to even look at you._

Toriel clutched the heavy thing nervously, wide eyed and anxious.

"What? Oh no!"

Now she sounded very sure of herself, as if she didn't manically intercept the personal belonging. Those pauses too, she was sure of those.

"No no no, that would be very rude of me. I just… wanted to get it for you, child. It wouldn't be very nice of me to make you walk all the way to it."

_Uh-huh… is that sweat beading on her forehead?_

"You mean all of eleven feet…"

"Of course! No matter the distance, I take care of my children!"

He could've challenged it, he _wanted _to, but it just didn't seem wise right now. Toriel obviously wanted to end the matter on it, so it slid for now.

"Oookay then…? Well could you _care _to let me have my things back?"

Considering the faces he was getting…

Toriel had to have known what was inside, and the hesitation on her behalf would be her processing the urge to burn the thing or not.

"Uh sure! Here you… go."

Omega snatched the thing out of Toriel's grasp, he'd forgotten how heavy it actually was, seeing her handle it without showing any signs of weight.

_Weight seems normal, if she did sneak a peek, that's all she did, No souvenirs taken._

"Thanks… if this is all my stuff, then you know what I'm going to ask you then?"

* * *

She knew the question was coming hours ahead, it couldn't have surprised her, but it still put a heavy frown on her face, she tried to discard it for something hopeful.

"Oooh… I know exactly what you want to say, but … I can help you right here! You don't have to be afraid ever again, I can take care of you, you won't have to ever worry about the humans on the surface. I can keep you safe!"

Omega sternly shook his head with a shut down.

"Toriel… that's not-"

Toriel came down to the man's height, falling to her knees, clasping her claws together to finish the gesture of supplication

"Please! It doesn't matter how old you are or how big! You are still my child and I can care for you, we can be happy here! You can trust me! Please… don't leave me."

_You feel a great urgency to say something, ANYTHING before the tears, you really can't bear to see those eyes again._

Omega swallowed a lump, aided by confusion.

"I don't understand, didn't others fall down here before me? Where are they?"

Toriel averted any sorrow she procured… and instead glared into Omega, her expression was something the grizzled man could've deemed improbable.

That's when she spoke in such a brooding tone, not that it didn't care… it sounded incapable of doing so.

" _They_… are all dead.

_They_… left me just like you're trying to.-"

Omega took a step back from the monster, instincts snapped back into him as the air began to feel abrasive.

"What? What did you do to them?!"

Toriel arrested both of the man's shoulders in a quick dash, knocking the wind out of him while sending the dufflebag to the floor, it answered with a collection of metallic

_**(KLAKS!)**_

" -Me?!

_I_ did nothing but selfless kindness and love for all of them!

_I_ gave them a home!

_I _treated them like my own children!

_I_ did nothing but coddle them-"

This was back to being a nightmare, the white monster's rant grew increasingly violent, the rage was heating up inside of her.

Outside too.

_You feel sweat rushing from your pores, it's not you… it's HER._

"And they still wanted to leave me so badly and for what?! Some world that's so horrible that people like _you _would kill themselves just to get away!?"

She glared furiously at Omega, it wasn't a rhetorical question from the looks of it. He answered a question with a question, " _What the fuck are you talking about!?-"_

_You feel the hairs on your arms start to singe, she is LITERALLY burning you!_

" Are you gonna combust or something?! Let go of me ! You're gonna give me first degree burns!"

Toriel was far past being kind enough for that.

"Listen to me you fool! I have seen no less than eight of my children _DIE _because of _HIM!_ It goes the same every time, I let them leave me, and then… he.. HIM. He… _KILLS_ them! He _KILLED _them, and _YOU _, you are no different, he will do the same and they… _HE_… will kill you!"

All Omega could do was mindlessly blurt out the only word in his trembling mind.

" _Who?!"_

" _Asgore! _He will _KILL _you just like he has _ALL _of my children-"

Without any call, Toriel's rage tumbled into a woebegone cry.

"- It'll just happen again and _again_! And it will be all my fault just like it has been every time! Just why?! Why does this keep happening? Why do all of them want to leave me so bad?

Why can't I… just… save… one?"

With that, Omega saw the look in her eyes, he braced for it: the hold was almost suffocating.

If Toriel squeezed her living stress toy with just the slightest more force, it probably could squeak like one too.

It hurt, Omega was forced to use his remaining oxygen in a shot to earn more of it. Strained, he tried to comfort her.

"It's… not y _ou _\- th-oo-ugh!."

Wrong way, it only tightened her grip on him, a series of ( pops!) traversing the human's spine assured that it was possible.

"You're... h-hurting… M-mee!"

Password accepted, Toriel unlocked her arms: giving both of them a special type of gasp: One out of surprise, and one in need of air.

Omega pulled at his burning collar, wheezing softly.

"Jesus… Christ."

"Oh no, child! I-I am so sorry! I-I-."

A hand commanded the spiraling monster to stop the rambling, as well as a potentially lethal return to the air deprived man.

"Stop…-" *A wheeze*

"-You stay right there please-" *A moment of labored breathing to fill up his light head.*

(...)

"- Thank you… now, at the risk of being strangled again, I feel the need: for my safety of all things: to explain myself. Actually, I probably should've started with this instead of feeling sorry for myself, but the inevitable bruises I'm gonna have seem to be punishment enough, but… alright-"

_The wet puppy dog eyes again…._

"-Toriel please… I keep telling you, 'It's not your fault.' and believe me when I tell you that It's not something I just came up with to appease you, I _have _to get out of here, not because I _want _to… yes I'm still beyond confusion and bewilderment to the point of clinical insanity, but this is probably the best accommodation I've had in a stone's throw to twenty years.

I need to leave, remember how I told you that there are people after me? While I'm glad… _ecstatic _almost that you won't do the same to me, I know for a fact that they will not share your hospitality, and I know for another fact… a sister fact… that they're losing their minds up there, trying to find me.

I don't know how they haven't followed me in here yet, I mean you said It's been twelve hours or so right?- any time frame aside… until they get some glance at my filthy mug walking around outside… they'll grind away at this sorry rock until they've leveled the whole mountain.

My conscience is already shot… despite how much of an asshole I may look to you… do you really think I could hold the thought of something happening to you?

No… I really can't."

It must've worked to some degree because the puppy dog eyes were more… _subtly forlorn _, rather than their guilty sad selves.

It was time to put them away though, Omega knew what to say. His solace in the fact of this made him grin.

"Hey now, I'll be fine… you really gotta trust me with that. I've been doing this for a long time: last night was just… well I wanted to say Bad Luck, but I've had the pleasure of meeting you, so why don't we call it even?"

_There _was that smile, Toriel dried her red, _RED_, eyes before giving a little nod.

"Alright… my child, I understand… but before you go… just one more…"

Omega rolled his eyes and smirked, lightening up.

"You're a real hugger huh? Well alright, _one _more… but not so _hard _this time, Ok?"

_Not too many of those now, you'll start to feel sentiments…_

* * *

(...)

"There's actually one more thing, my child, I'll be right back."

Toriel left the man standing at the mouth of the basement. Glancing impatiently at a potted flower.

"Here we are… here, take this."

She'd placed a rather worn book in Omega's hands just as she elaborated on it.

"That can answer almost any of your questions that you may get when you're out there. I know you're a curious type."

Omega hesitantly accepted the tome, delegating it, a private pocket in his large bag slung over his shoulder.

"Oh thank you, is it like a journal or something you made?"

Toriel shook her head innocently.

"More like a textbook actually…" She stifled a _*Snrk!* _"- I'm sorry, it's just a little funny, you know… I always wanted to be a teacher."

Omega winked, "Ah… _homework?"_

A small giggle "Yep!"

He had to snicker too, really anything nice and fuzzy coming out of her was contagious.

"Why thank you, thank you… it'll help then… cause there's more of yo ouuu-"

Toriel raised a brow at him

"-Your type out there right-"

"-They're not all uhm… goats right?"

"No."

_Awkward… okay time to go_.

There was one more delay out of Toriel though.

"Wait!... just _one _more thing, I'm sorry."

A little less gracious this time as Toriel scampered towards her bedroom, it started with a sigh.

"What?"

This time, she came back with something a little more personal, it had red and black stripes, and it was almost as woolly as the monster holding it.

"Here… I want you to have this too: It's probably a little too big for you, It was _really _too big for anyone else-"

Again, Omega was even more reluctant to accept someone's sweater of all things, but he did.

"-it was one of my first tries on sewing, I'm not the best at it but… I know you don't have your sweatshirt and I just…"

The maternal tone came back for just a glimpse.

"-It's _cold _out there and I… I don't want you to catch one."

And now _again_, the hesitation turned to short termed gratitude.

"Oh… thank you."

* * *

They were finally off… there were no more words between the two as they proceeded through the darkened passage. It was only in the presence of the gargantuan door that

their concluding words were exchanged.

"Alright my child, this is the only exit from the RUINS… once you cross it, you won't be able to return."

The heavy thought sparked an idea on the fly for Omega, there was confidence in this too,

"Wait! Why don't you come with me? You won't have to be alone anymore. Then you can teach me while we're out there if you'd like and-"

Toriel shushed him.

"No, my child… I cannot leave this place, I promised that I'd keep watch for any more children to fall down. They will most certainly need the same help you did in your time of need."

This child had a retort.

"But Toriel, what if the people come down the way I did? They won't understand like I did, Only this time they won't-"

This time, Toriel physically closed her child's lips.

"My place is here, and that's not debatable. I will do all the worrying for you, you do not need to fret over me. If such an event occurred, I can show them what they need to see. That's there's always a compromise in a conflict, there's always another way to solve something. And especially how there is never, _ever, EVER, _a reason to kill anyone."

Her eyes locked onto Omega's for a final time, glistening red, but as clear as moonlight.

"And the same applies to you, more so than ever… I can see your hurt and how it can spill out on others… you will agree there. But at the same time… I can see just beyond it… someone hiding in deep inside, a kind person, a child.

They're afraid to climb out from behind the hurt because they've been put there so many times. I want nothing more than to see that child, and I would carry them from that hurt just to see their smiling face.

You will encounter many things out there that you do not understand, the book may help with some of them. But you will have to see some things throughout by yourself. If you can trust me, then I know for one of your facts… that I can trust you to make the right choices."

There was a heavy lump forming in Omega's throat, supplied by something coming out of his core.

"But what about that piece of shit… the person that took your children away… Asgore right? Child murdering fuck. He's down here too right? If I come across him, I can send him your regards before splattering his brains all over the nearest wall."

The most sincere head-shake of them all.

"No, not _anyone_, not even _him _of all monsters… There is always another way, even if sometimes it forces you to just run away, You'll find that most monsters won't want to fight you as much as you don't to them…

Promise me-"

Promises were dangerous for Omega, but he stayed open to hear it coming from Toriel's heart.

"- Promise me, that you will at least _try _to see both sides of any conflict."

Whether he would uphold that request or not, Omega nodded listlessly, he maintained eye contact just to confirm.

"Alright Toriel…I'll give it a go. For you then."

Omega reached for the large door, he was impeded by one final, final, _final _thing.

"Wait, one last thing I promise, my child."

Omega turned for another delay.

"Yes?"

"Your name… forgive me for forgetting such a thing: I never asked what your name was."

It made Omega laugh out of the whole circumstance of it.

"Pssh! Wow! Just what am I like? Meet the nicest person in the world, and you don't even give a name.

Aye yiy yiii…

Well ok, so the people after me, they gave me a little nickname: at least it's what everyone calls me, what's under the 'DOMESTIC TERRORIST' posters, and what have you. They call me " SUSPECT OMEGA THETA" menacing enough to rally the public I guess."

He assumed Toriel would question it, so he took the liberty of answering it by lifting up his right sleeve. The ultimate Greek symbol housed the other one, prominently displayed on his shoulder.

Ω

θ

"I don't remember the story on this one... but apparently it's important enough that they call me by it... Anyways, it's not worth much to use, but. My name's Brainz: Just how you say it, (mind the s and replace it with a z) And it's just that."

Toriel got what she wanted, at least she thought so, it didn't sit quite right.

"Brainz... that's... an interesting name."

Brainz nodded. "I agree, but it's mine and that's what I go by."

He turned back towards the door, but gave Toriel another glance on his own merit this time.

"One Last thing, outta me this time-"

She stopped pondering to see him off.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

A modest blush sprouted again on her face.

"Oh it's alright, I have many more sweaters like that one, it wouldn't fit-"

"No-

Thank you… for everything… and I'm sorry for being… well _myself _back there, all creepy and crazy. It's just… I haven't had anyone actually be with me for a long time. I haven't seen this kindness in a long time, especially not from someone amazing like you.-"

A sigh with one last gander at the closest thing to a friend.

"- I guess you forget what it's like when you've been away from it for so long. But you though… I was so quick to just brand you, just because you weren't _normal _to me, because you didn't attack me like anyone else would, I don't think it's normal for anyone, let alone a person or a… _monster_? To be this nice."

Toriel's face almost matched her eyes now, humbled to the point of embarrassment.

But it flushed away when she picked her care out from the soliloquy.

"You really have it rough out there huh?"

Brainz slinked through the gargantuan door.

"You don't know the half of it."

* * *

As the echo from the door diffused from the violet hall, Toriel was alone again, with the exception of her thoughts on the way back. Sure, her heart hurt, it always hurt.

But for once, it wasn't what bothered her the most, it was pushed aside by something more sinister that she wasn't used to.

_**DREAD**_

Of all the things she told her child, she overlooked the one thing that had been afflicting her the most.

But what was it for?

An Alleged force of cruelty and malice that could greet her?

She disregarded her own selfish needs as she climbed back to her house.

The sting of losing another child?

Toriel was too used to that, at least too much to feel this level of vile emotion. She shrugged it off as she went to snuff the flames in the mantle.

(...)

Then she remembered what it was, something she didn't care to ever see.

Something the human would've seen too, if she didn't stop him for his things.

Something black and ugly: amidst its companions taken from her child's pockets, all dormant on a nightstand.

The same something that was clutched in his bleeding hand once upon a time.

It had a name... proudly etched onto the side of it's hide.

"**COLT COMMANDER .45" **

The only thing Toriel could do in the face of the confiscated weapon was pray for her child. Pray that he'd do the right thing.

"Please… please let me have done the right thing… forgive me my child."

* * *

_**A.N. this is where an image would be on Ao3**_

* * *

Some more purple walls, stairs, and a glorified landing: Brainz reached the second of the twin gargantuan doors.

As the second one slammed shut behind him… he… felt his loss for words, stinging his bare skin with the air.

First Steps in Snowdin

* * *

**AUDIO TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO.**

***Large door slams shut, echoing through the outside area***

***The sound of a winter landscape drones on, wind casually blowing in constant.***

***Brainz takes a couple of footsteps in the snow, slowing down gradually with building disbelief***

**(...)**

**Brainz- "You've gotta fucking kidding..."**


End file.
